Our annual tour begins today - first stop, Germany

Yes dear members I am starting today our annual tour where Serge and I tour our business units worldwide during 5 grueling weeks. This has been a tradition at CGI since 1976, although at the time the whole thing was about Serge driving from Montreal to Quebec to Chicoutimi in his beat-up Volkswagen while listening to 8-track tapes. Nowadays we’re touring the globe in a private jet.

Our annual theme this year is “turning challenges into opportunities”, a theme that can used to address any possible situation under any circumstances. Increasing your revenues by 20% in a depressed market is a challenge that can be seen as an opportunity. Same thing with taking people on the bench and throwing them on the street. It’s a matter of perspective, and when you're hesitating nothing brings more perspective than a spreadsheet.

Today I’m in Germany where I am writing you from my trusted Blackberry (not an iPhone mind you) while waiting for my schnitzel to be served. Starting our annual tour in Germany in October is no coincidence.

Trust me when I tell you that this marathon is absolutely exhausting. Of course we don’t stay at the local Motel 6, but every night we have a 7-course dinner with our local BU leaders, discuss strategies to squeeze our cash cows and drink wine/beer/vodka/port until we pass out. When you’re in your 20’s, such regimen is business as usual, but even for a fit guy in his 50’s like me this is like climbing the Kilimanjaro barefoot while smoking Cubans.

When I’ll get home in Montreal I’ll have a few days off, drink milk and watch re-runs of Kojak just to chill out. Bald guys make great heroes, don’t they?

I’ll keep you posted as we tour the world in search for more revenues. I’m having a field day. Roach out.